The book of odes and hymns – part 57

SHUO REN

Large was she and tall,

In her embroidered robe, with a [plain] single garment over it:

The daughter of the marquis of Qi.

The wife of the marquis of Wei,

The sister of the heir-son of Tong

The sister-in-law of the marquis of Xing,

The viscount of Tan also her brother-in-law.

Her fingers were like the blades of the young white-grass;

Her skin was like congealed ointment;

Her neck was like the tree-grub;

Her teeth were like melon seeds;

Her forehead cicada-like; her eyebrows like [the antenne of] the silkworm moth;

What dimples, as she artfully smiled!

How lovely her eyes, with the black and white so well defined!

Large was she and tall,

When she halted in the cultivated suburbs.

Strong looked her four horses,

With the red ornaments so rich about their bits.

Thus in her carriage, with its screens of pheasant feathers,

she proceeded to our court.

Early retire, ye great officers,

And do not make the marquis fatiqued!

The waters of the He, wide and deep,

Flow northwards in majestic course.

The nets are dropt into them with a plashing sound,

Among shoals of sturgeon, large and small,

While the rushes and sedges are rank about.

Splendidly adorned were her sister ladies;

Martial looked the attendant officers.

shuò rén   

碩人  

shuò rén qí qí 、yī jǐn jiǒng yī 。

碩人其頎、衣錦褧衣。

qí hóu zhī zǐ 、wèi hóu zhī qī 、dōng gōng zhī mèi 、xíng hóu zhī yí 、tán gōng wéi sī 。

齊侯之子、衛侯之妻、東宮之妹、邢侯之姨、譚公維私。

shǒu rú róu yí 。

手如柔荑。

fū rú níng zhī 。

膚如凝脂。

lǐng rú qiú qí 。

領如蝤蠐。

chǐ rú hù xī 。

齒如瓠犀。

qín shǒu é méi 。

螓首蛾眉。

qiǎo xiào qiàn xī 。

巧笑倩兮。

měi mù pàn xī 。

美目盼兮。

shuò rén áo áo 、shuō yú nóng jiāo 。

碩人敖敖、說于農郊。

sì mǔ yǒu jiāo 、zhū fén biāo biāo 、zhái fú yǐ cháo 。

四牡有驕、朱幩鑣鑣、翟茀以朝。

dà fū sù tuì 、wú shǐ jūn láo 。

大夫夙退、無使君勞。

hé shuǐ yáng yáng 、běi liú huó huó 。

河水洋洋、北流活活。

shī gū huò huò 、zhān wěi fā fā 、jiā tǎn jiē jiē 。

施罛瀖瀖、鱣鮪發發、葭菼揭揭。

shù jiāng niè niè 、shù shì yǒu qiè 。

庶姜孽孽、庶士有朅。

译文：

窈窕淑女体修长，披风罩在锦衣上；齐侯女儿多娇贵，嫁给卫侯到吾乡。 

她和太子同胞生，也是邢侯小姨妹，谭公是她亲姐丈。 

双手白嫩如春荑，肤如凝脂细又腻；脖颈粉白如蝤蛴，齿如瓜子白又齐； 

额头方正蛾眉细，笑靥醉人真美丽，秋波流动蕴情意。 

窈窕淑女身材高，驻马停车在城郊；四匹雄马多矫健，马辔两边红绸飘， 

鸟羽饰车好上朝；诸位大夫该早退，别让国君太操劳。 

黄河之水声势大，奔腾向北哗啦啦；撒开鱼网呼呼响，鳣鲔跳跃泼剌剌， 

芦荻稠密又挺拔。陪嫁女子服饰美，媵臣英武又高大。